The 2016 Point in Time Homeless Count provided a snapshot of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in Red Deer on a single night.
The count captures numbers and demographic information of individuals experiencing homelessness.
Key findings in the Point In Time Homeless Count Report include:
- 149 people were homeless.
- 37 people were unsheltered.
- 50 per cent were homeless for the first time.
- 75 per cent of homeless were male.
- 23 per cent of homeless were under the age of 25.
- 77 people were staying in emergency shelter.
- five per cent of homeless belonged to the LGBTQ2S community.
- 40 per cent of homeless were aboriginal despite making up only 5.2 per cent of Red Deer’s total population.
- eight per cent of homeless were employed full-time.
- seven per cent of homeless were veterans.
- up to one quarter of homeless lived in Red Deer less than three months.
- 71 per cent of homeless had some form of addiction.